A Certain Kind of Reflection
by Peanut-Butter-Bandit
Summary: Gift for omaomae. What has Akko done now? Dragging Diana into a world where science and magic coexist, and putting them both in danger. With magic lost to them, Diana and Akko become espers, but will they ever be able to use magic or return to Luna Nova again? And what happened to the Shiny Rod? (Gift-fic will not be continued here, most likely.) No pairings. Rating for pain.


Summary:

 _Two witches find themselves transported another world. Mostly to give lots of opportunities to hurt Diana. There is semi-graphic (maybe pretty graphic?) description of injuries and experimentation._

AN:

 _This fic is for Tomato's birthday because I absolutely had to attempt to gift our glorious Tomato overlord with a fic that they'll love. (The specified Tomato is omaomae, Lord of Angst and Spite.)_

Diana awakens to frantic knocking on her door. Hannah and Barbara don't stir, but they're heavy sleepers.

(What does Akko need _now_?) Ever since the events of the day they'd awoken the Triskelion and returned magic to the world, Akko had inserted herself into Diana's life with a vengeance that usually manifests as study sessions and waking her up early on the weekend to drag her outside or to town so she doesn't die early of 'study overdose.'

As she answers the door, Diana realizes it's 2am on a weeknight and becomes drastically more awake as adrenaline fills her body.

She opens the door.

"Have you seen Akko?"

Diana takes in Lotte's frazzled appearance and Sucy plus the Green team lurking in the hallway behind her.

Sighing, she says, "No, but I'll help look."

That's how Diana ends up here, staring at her reflection in an empty dueling classroom's mirror wall. The group had split up to search more effectively and Diana decided to use a tracking spell to retrace Akko's steps.

Akko must have been missing most of the night, because the trail was faded. It had taken a while to find it, so the group had split up, and Diana had almost given up on the spell. With the trail ending so suspiciously, Diana's instincts tell her to go get the others and at least one teacher.

Turning from the room to do just that, the mirror crackles with green energy. A bolt shoots out and hits Diana in the chest.

XXXXX

The first clue Diana has that she isn't anywhere near Luna Nova anymore is the air. It tastes… stale. She picks herself up off of the ground painfully.

Buildings surround her. (A city?) Diana walks to the end of the alley she seems to have appeared in.

Diana is thankful she's fully dressed because there's pedestrian traffic in the open street beyond the alley. Her uniform does stand out, but not as much as unicorn pajamas might. (It's the Cavendish family protector okay. pretend this has a line through it, i have no idea how to do that)

Affecting the poise she'd been trained in most of her life, Diana strides forth.

And then someone walks into her. Diana grits her teeth when it causes aches to flare up. She takes care to keep her face neutral.

"Oh, my apologies," a girl slightly younger than Diana says, "Are you alright?"

"I am fine thank you," Diana turns to continue.

Not only does she need to find Akko, but now she needs to get them both back to Luna Nova.

"Wait, wait," the girl moves to her side, "You're new here, right? I don't recognize your uniform."

Diana nods.

"Well, then. I am Mikoto Misaka and let me welcome you to Academy City!" Mikoto smiles broadly. "Are you looking for the Tokiwadai dorms, like the other girls today?"

"Other girls?" (I do not know why Akko might be looking for that place… but)

"Yeah, a Miss Kongou and a Miss Kagari."

"So that is where she has gone," Diana mumbles. She says more loudly, "Yes, I need to meet up with Miss Kagari."

"I guess I'm a tour guide today," Mikoto jokes, resting a briefcase on her shoulder and leading Diana in the direction Mikoto had already been headed. "So what's your name?"

"Diana Cavendish, heir to the Cavendish family," Diana answers automatically.

Mikoto looks at her, "And you need to meet up with Miss Kagari, not Miss Konguo?"

Missing the joking tone, Diana replies, "Yes, she and I need to find our school."

"You go to the same school?"

"I was surprised too."

"What school? You're in highschool right?" Diana wishes Mikoto would stop being so attentive and outgoing.

She debates lying, but decides it would be pointless and instead says, "You would not have heard of it."

Mikoto hums, but doesn't push. Diana releases a slow breath of relief.

They continue in silence for a block before Mikoto speaks up again. "So why'd you want to come to Academy City?"

"No offense intended," Diana decides to be honest, "But I really did not plan on coming here."

"Ah, Miss Kagari did say something about a school trip and needing to get back soon." Mikoto starts swinging her briefcase and Diana's attention is drawn to a small green frog accessory. "I'm surprised I didn't know about your visit, usually I'm on official tour duty for those."

Diana doesn't know what to say to that so she just nods.

"Okay, so ahead are the Tokiwadai dorms in the Garden." Mikoto points, then she grabs a scrap of paper and a pen, "Since you don't have a phone, here's my number in case you get lost again. There's kiosks you can call from at most street corners."

"Thank you," Diana says, surprised. (Wait how did she know I do not have a phone?)

Diana turns to ask, but Mikoto is gone. Just a glimpse of brown hair in the crowd. Diana hums to herself and begins walking towards the indicated building. (Hopefully Akko is still here.)

When she reaches the gates, Diana realizes she can't get inside. Sighing, she surreptitiously reaches for her wand to cast the location spell. Her wand isn't in her sash. The cold hand of dread grabs her insides and twists. (I did not see it in the alley.)

Diana forcibly calms herself, clinging to the Cavendish poise. (Okay. Chances are magic does not work here anyway. Refocus. Where would Akko go if she could not get in either?)

Near the school there isn't much, but Diana remembers walking past a couple of places that sold food. (As good a start as any.) She begins walking away from the gate.

A split moment for Diana to notice a dark-tinted car, the first vehicle she'd seen in this Garden. Then something pinches her arm. "Wha-" She collapses.

XXXXX

"-ome from," a voice leaks into the darkness of Diana's mind. As if it is the cue her brain has been waiting for, she begins to come back to consciousness. "Ah, now you're awake."

Diana immediately regrets that. Her head is throbbing and the slight light of the room burns into her eyes. "Whe-" she croaks and then has to stop and cough.

A hand raises a water bottle to her lips and lets her drink slowly. That's when she notices she's tied upright to a chair. Wide eyed she follows the arm of the hand with the bottle back to the eyes of an old man. He is ancient, like Luna Nova's headmistress, but exudes an aura of danger and unease the kindly old woman does not.

"Where am I?" Diana finishes when she's drained the water and he's stepped away. "Why am I here?" Her outrage doesn't carry much weight since her eyes can't focus long enough for a good glare.

The doctor hums. "You are in my lab and you are here to answer some questions. Since I have so kindly answered yours, I believe you should return the favor." He steeples his fingers in front of him.

Diana hangs her head in response, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Where are you from? How did you get into Academy City? Why are you here?"

Diana doesn't see a reason to lie or not answer these questions. She'd rather not find out how similar to an interrogation this situation is. "I am from England. I am not sure how I got here. I am here because I was looking for my friend."

"How do you not know how you got here?" the doctor asked.

Diana opened her mouth to tell him a story of being kidnapped, hoping it might get her out of the trouble she seemed to be in. "The mirror used some kind of magic which I did not recognize." Her eyes widened. "What?"

"Ah, that would be the truth serum. It's only just reached the stage to test on humans. Do let me know if you get sharp abdominal pains." He waves a hand carelessly and then leans forwards, "So, a magic mirror, truly?"

"Yes."

The doctor hums at her answer. "Who are you looking for?"

Diana keeps the answer short, "Akko."

"And who is she to you?" Rather than being frustrated by Diana's terse manner and reluctance to volunteer information, the doctor seems amused.

"A fellow student at my school."

"Highschool?"

"No."

"What kind of school then?"

Diana bites her tongue, but it does no good. "A little witch academy."

"Witch?" He seems delighted. "Can _you_ do magic?"

"Yes."

"Can you do magic now?"

"No," Diana shakes her head and then regrets it. The dizziness it brings causes nausea.

"Why not?"

"I am tied up for one," the doctor doesn't look at all repentant, "And I do not have my wand. And I do not know if your world has magic."

"So you think this place is a different world from your own?"

"Yes."

The doctor hums and looks pensive.

"Do you know how you would return to your world?"

"No." Diana blinks rapidly and looks up. She hasn't felt this hopelessly stuck and helpless since regaining her magic.

The doctor smiles broadly. "We will arrange something for you in Academy City then. You and your friend."

"Wait, do you know where Akko is?"

"Of course," he coughs a laugh. "That's how we found you. You both wear the same uniform, albeit the sash is a different color."

"Then you knew everything I just told you?" Diana is upset with herself for not reasoning they'd already found Akko.

"That and more. Your little friend is quite talkative." He gets up and walks to Diana. "Now," he picks something up from behind her, "I do hope you don't mind participating in a little experiment for me. Not that you have a choice."

For the second time that day, Diana feels a pinch. This one doesn't knock her out and she looks to him with wide eyes.

"You're going to be a part of Academy City's Esper Development Program."

XXXXX

Diana acclimates to Academy City quicker than she expected to.

It helps that she has a lot of coursework to make up, to throw herself into. Gensei, the doctor, had her put into first year middle school classes. It would be embarrassing, but she's thankful.

Coming from a prestigious Witch family, she'd not been exposed to much science or math beyond its applications and effects with magic. The math here is astonishingly similar, but Diana is behind in most of the sciences.

Her first day of classes, Diana is assigned a seat behind a girl that reminded her so much of Akko. Even down to mulishly insisting on being friends.

In her first days in Academy City, Diana saw Akko briefly, but hasn't seen her since. Akko is behind, 'special tutoring needed,' and unable to join Diana. So it is nice to have a friendly presence at school.

Speaking of which, the girl had asked Diana to meet her after school today.

"Hey, Diana," think of the devil.

"Hello, Ruiko."

"You remember how I told you about my friend, Kazari?" Saten is twisting in place, an easy way to tell she's excited about something.

"Yes, I do." Diana nods.

"Well…" Saten grabs Diana's arm and drags her just outside of the doors to the front of the school.

Saten poses, dramatically gesturing her hands towards a girl with a flowery headband. "Here she is!"

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Uiharu," Diana smiles kindly, "I am Diana Cavendish. You may call me Diana."

"Eep," Uiharu says, "I'm Kazari, Kazari Uiharu." Then she turns to lightly slap Saten's arm, "Why are you dragging an Ojou-Sama around? You said you were going to introduce me to your new friend."

"This is my friend!" Saten protests.

Uiharu turns wide eyes towards Diana. Whispering, "I thought you said your friend was in your class?"

"Diana is in my class."

Diana elaborates, "I only just transferred to Academy City because of special circumstances, and in order to catch me up with Esper Development they put me in middle school instead of high school."

Uiharu nods while looking quite stunned. "So do you know your ability and level yet?"

"I know what they call my ability, but its level is difficult to measure," Diana held back a shiver at the memory of the barrage of testing. Gensei had been delighted to find readings that indicated Diana wasn't a default level 0 and was quite intent on finding out what her ability is. "Auto-Rebirth."

"You didn't tell me that!" Saten exclaims.

"You did not ask," Diana returns. Saten does most of the talking, Diana content to listen as she explains Academy City and a worrisome number of urban legends.

Saten splutters and then shrugs, "Guess I didn't-" she tilts her head- "But what does that ability do, I haven't heard of it?"

Diana is relieved when Uiharu recites what the Judgement records say about it, because then she doesn't have to. "Auto-Rebirth is a kind of healing ability. Only two, now three I guess, students in Academy City possess it. An esper can nearly revive themselves from death through regeneration. Because of the automated nature of the ability and the risk to the esper, testing is difficult and levels are undefined."

On the one hand, Diana is quite proud that her ability has a healing focus, as befits a witch of the Cavendish line. On the other, it is a self-centered power, and disappointingly cannot be used to heal others.

That and the method Gensei used to discover her ability still gives Diana nightmares.

"Woah," Saten says, "So basically you're unkillable?"

"As long as my ability continues to function, but it is difficult to be certain it will."

The other girls blink at Diana.

Uiharu decides to move to less grim topics.

"So, Miss Saten, are we going to Joseph's today?"

Saten turns to Diana, "Oh yeah, I meant to invite you. Joseph's is a cafe. Kazari and I meet two of our other friends there most days after school."

"I appreciate your offer, but do not feel you need to invite me." Diana shakes her head.

"We really would like you to come, Miss Cavendish," Uiharu says earnestly, "I think our other friends would love to meet you too."

Diana does have money from Gensei for her participation in his experiments, coerced as it may be. "I would love to join you then." Diana smiles. (Uiharu reminds me a little of Hannah and Barbara.)

The girls walk to Joseph's.

Diana listens to the other two chatter happily and follows them to the table without looking around much. That's why she's unprepared when- "Miss Misaka this is Diana Cavendish. Miss Cavendish, this is Mikoto Misaka." Uiharu makes the introductions.

"So I see you liked Academy City after all." Mikoto says with a grin.

"Ah, yes. I am not advanced enough for Tokiwadai, but Academy City still drew me in. I am in Ruiko's class."

Mikoto's gaze immediately goes to Diana's breasts as her face drops, "Saten's… Class…"

Diana is puzzled by her actions. "Yes. It was decided that I needed to develop a foundation in the Esper Curriculum and placing me in first year middle school classes is most expedient."

"Wait, how old are you?" Mikoto asks and then slaps her hands over her mouth and turns beet red.

Diana arches an eyebrow, but answers, "Sixteen."

While Mikoto is recovering, a small pig-tailed girl appears in her lap. Diana stares, but the other girls do not seem surprised. Mikoto reddens again, this time with anger. By now Diana knows more about esper abilities, but it is still shocking to watch Mikoto electrify the newcomer; who scooches off of her lap.

"Hello, Miss Shirai. I wondered where you were," Uiharu says. "Let me introduce you to Miss Cavendish. Kuroko Shirai, this is Diana Cavendish. Miss Cavendish-" she motions from Diana to Kuroko- "Miss Shirai."

"Pleasure to meet you," they say at the same time.

"Just call me Kuroko."

"And you may call me Diana."

Introductions finished, Saten immediately fills the silence with a new urban legend.

She whips out her phone and introduces the newest legend, "This one sounds interesting. 'Moon Visitor.' Listen."

"There's rumors of an alien that looks like a girl, from one day last week. It has bright red eyes and it says it went to school on the moon!" (It is not…) Saten continues, "It kept asking for directions to Luna Nova." (It _is_.)

Saten points her finger at her screen, "There are at least three people that have seen this one."

Diana doesn't say anything but can't help but marvel at Akko's lack of caution when finding herself in a new place.

"Saten, I think that's the oddest one yet," Kuroko comments.

Uiharu shakes her head, "No, the Undresstress still has to be."

"The what?" Diana asks.

All four girls shudder. Kuroko answers, "The legend was of a lady who would remove her clothes in public with the slightest provocation."

Diana nods. She can see how that would be problematic and odd. "At least they are just legends, correct?"

The four exchange an awkward glance.

Diana sighs, "Wishful thinking." (It makes sense that there would be at least a grain of truth in these Urban Legends.)

Uiharu changes the subject, handing Diana a menu. "The parfaits are good here, Miss Cavendish, if you aren't sure what to order."

Diana ends up getting the strawberry parfait with Saten. Uiharu gets the triple berry while Kuroko gets lemon and Mikoto gets chocolate.

The talk turns to general updates on the week as they dig in.

"So you'd already met Mikoto before, Diana?" Saten eventually asks.

"Yes, my first day here. She helped me find the Tokiwadai dorm in the gardens to meet up with a school friend."

"Sorry I ran out on you before seeing you all the way there. I had been looking for someone too and saw him. I'm glad to know you found her," Mikoto says.

Diana smiles and nods, not correcting her about the events of that day.

XXXXX

"The what?" The word 'esper' doesn't mean anything to Diana, but the doctor's words seem ominous.

The doctor looks at her, "Academy City is entirely based around developing espers. The students here are all espers, gifted with varying levels of ability from zero to five. An esper emits an involuntary energy field that stems from their personal reality and is the basis of their powers."

Diana blinks at him.

"The drug I just gave you will awaken your esper potential," the doctor shrugs. "It doesn't take as long as it used to, so we should be able to check you now." He walks away from the chair.

Pulling a machine of some kind over he continues talking, "Since I don't know what kind of ability you have, this will be a _little_ invasive." Reaching her chair, the doctor opens the machine's side panels to reveal wires and attachments. "Remain still."

Diana's bad feeling gets worse. "What kind of monster are you?"

"Me?" he chuckles, "I am a doctor and a scientist, Kihara Gensei."

Gensei efficiently hooks Diana up to the machine, uncaring of her weak flinches and when she bites her lip to keep from whimpering. He is impressed by how silent she is. Most of the wires are attached to needles which need contact to brain matter. The needles are not small, since they need to punch through bone in some cases, and he does not waste time numbing the area.

Diana bites through her lip when he attaches a dual-forked prong sensor under the base of her skull so that it reaches where her brain stem and spinal cord connect. Fervently, Diana hopes that this test will not cause permanent damage.

The rest of the sensors are small pads. When Gensei attaches them to her neck, chest, and arms, Diana realizes they must be covered in short, microscopic needles. Past the initial pricks of pain, these do nothing but itch.

Gensei finishes and turns on the machine, which begins humming. He watches over the next half hour as the results appear on a screen and Diana nurses her injured lip.

The process ends and Gensei claps gleefully, "Your AIM results are promising, quite promising indeed."

Diana continues sucking on her bleeding lip, trying to stem the flow. She is surprised when she runs her tongue over it and doesn't find a wound.

The doctor notices and smiles sharply. " _Extremely_ promising. Perhaps some form of healing?"

Shivers run up Diana's back from the tone and how Gensei watches her like she's a particularly interesting bug he would like to add to his collection.

"Your friend shows some signs of a shapeshifting ability, but her AIM levels are so low it's difficult to tell," he says conversationally.

Gensei unhooks Diana from the machine. The removal of the probes hurts worse and she can feel warm, wet blood leaking from the holes. Her pounding headache picks up and Diana's earlier nausea increases until she weakly heaves up the drugged water, dribbling it from her mouth onto her shirt.

Diana wonders how Gensei expects her to survive this experiment. Her vision wobbles and greys as he releases her from the chair and ...

A little over thirty minutes later, Diana wakes up disoriented, to someone helping her into a different shirt. "Anna?"

"Sh, you're still quite hurt." The voice is familiar and settles Diana. A drop of water hits her cheek and then another. Diana drifts off in warm arms and dreams of rainstorms.

When Diana wakes again, she's half-wrapped around Akko. Akko's head has small bandages in the same locations Diana remembers Gensei...

Scrambling away, aches flare up and Diana hisses. She hurries to the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, she doesn't see wounds of her own. (Surely I did not heal that quickly.) Diana tries to convince herself it was a nightmare, despite also seeing Akko's wounds.

Akko stumbles into the bathroom, rubbing sleep out of her eyes, "Diana?" When she catches sight of Diana, Akko tears up. "Gensei dropped you off last night and I was so worried. You were-" Akko hugs her and doesn't finish.

In the light of the bathroom, Akko looks worse. Gauze wraps her neck, deep circles run under her eyes, and the bandages are obviously stained with blood. Diana returns the hug gingerly, trying not to hurt Akko further. "How did you end up here?"

"I was practicing with the Shiny Rod in the mirror and I don't really know what happened next," Akko releases Diana to scratch her head ashamedly, stopping and wincing when she nudges a bandage. "Why are you here?"

"I found the mirror while looking for you."

Akko frowns, looking at Diana with confusion, "What?"

"The mirror," Diana repeats, "I must have found the mirror you were practising with."

"What, so it just sucked you in?" Akko's eyes widen with worry.

Diana nods.

"Then how do we get back?!" Akko begins pacing, rubbing her upper arms.

"Do you still have the _Claiomh Solais_?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Then try what you were doing before," Diana interjects.

"- it's stuck," Akko finishes, holding up her left arm. There's a bracelet on it with the familiar seven gems. What isn't familiar is the charms hanging off of it.

"What?"

"I dunno, okay?" Akko slumps. "I was practicing changing the shape of the Shiny Rod in front of the mirror. I really wanted to learn how to use it in multiple forms at once and then it turned into this," Akko shakes the arm with the offending object.

"Why would you add the charms?" Diana asks.

"Those appeared with it." The girls look at the silver coin, snowflake, and fang.

AN:  
 _I'm nowhere near as good as Tomato at hurting characters apparently. I would rather cause them psychological pain... xD._

 _This ficlet is kind of a teaser. It's been so TOUGH writing without being able to talk it out with Tomato, like my brain is 10 squirrels in a trench coat pretending to function and you would not believe (or maybe you would) how amazing Tomato is about making sense of what it spits out._

 _The gift here is as much the idea as it is the little bit of writing I managed. I hope you have a great one, my friend!_


End file.
